Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1887-06-03

fll-ill 10 bNtiAl llAill any lbSSlblulN vi
discovery the fatal notes which / so rashly
and wrongly made. Never until now
has any human being cared 20 speak 10 me
boldly as you have done; never until now
has there seemed aught OF help for me or
hope of dclivcrance from this weary task;
but nOw-will You save meg If show
You where my book is hidden, win YOU
swear by all that YOU hold most sacred To-
destroy the paper that It contains without
reading it-withOut letting any human
eye see even one word Of its contents?
VIII you pledge your word 10 do this'"
81 pledge my word TO obey your wish to
the letter." said the bishop with solem-
nifty.
The gaze Of the priests eyes was so in
tense that they seemed 10 pierce his very
soul, but apparently the result of the scru-
tiny was satisfactory, for the phantom
turned away, with "A deep sigh of relief,
saying, "Then follow me
With n strange sense Of unreality the
bishop found himself following the APP
partition down the broad staircase TO the
ground floor and then down n narrower
one of stone that seemed 10 lead down to
some cellars or vaults. Suddenly the priest
stopped and turned toward him.
This is the place. hc said, placing his
manu- on the wall. IAcllONt lllS llldSlcI,
loosen the bricks and you will find behind
them the recess of which | spoke. Mark
the spot well, aud-remcmbcr your prom
ise."
Following the pointing hand and ap
parent wish Of the specter, the bishop
closely examined the wall at the spot in
Dictated and then turned TO the priest to
ask another question; but 10 his intense
establishment there was no one thcrc-he
was absolutely alone in the dimly lighted
passage. Perhaps he ought 10 have been
prepared for this sudden disappearance,
but it startled him more than he cared to
admit, even to himself He hurried up
the stairs and presented himself, still
breathlcss with the surprise in the dining
room.
His prolonged absence had caused some
comment, and now his agitated appear
ancc excited general attention. Unable
for the moment 10 speak cohercntly, his
only answer TO the earnest questions Of
his host was n sign which referred him to
the hostess for explanation. With some
hesitation she confessed the crrand upon
which her request had dispatched the
bishop and, rs may easily be imagined,
the intcnseSt interest and excitement were
at once created. As soon as the bishop
| had recovered his voice, he found himself
compelled 10 relate the story before the
! entire party, concealmcnt being now out
| Of the question. Celebrated n was his
! eloqucncc, il is probable that 10 speech he
| ever made was followed with closer at
tention than this and at its conclusion
there was no voice 90 oppose the demand
| that mason be at once sent FOR to break
| down the wall and search for conilrma-
! ton Of this weird yet dramatically circum-
stantial tale. After a very short delay
! the man arrived and the whole company
! trooped eagerly down stairs under the
! bishops guidance 20 watch the result Of
! his labors The bishop could hardly re-
! press n shudder as he found himself once
more in the passage where his ghostly
! companion had vanished so unceremon-
iously, but he indicated the exact spot
! which had been pointed ont 10 him, and
| the mason began 10 work upon 1t forth
with.
THE plaster seems very hard and firm, -
remarked some one
Eyes, 80 replied the host, ut IS Of excel
! lent quality and comparatively new; these
vaults had long been disused, am told,
until my predecessor had the old brick
work repaired and plGstcrcd over only a
! few years ago
BY this time the mason had succeeded
! in breaking away the plaster and loosen
! ing brick or two at the point indicated,
/ and though perhaps no one was actually
! surprised, yet there was very percepti-
! bic stir OF excitement among the guests
when nc announced the existence Of a
| cupboard or cavity about two feet square
and eighteen inches deep in the thickness
! Of tho wall The host pressed forward to
! look in, but instantly recollCcting himself,
! drew back and made way for the bishop,
! saying:
IL was forgetting your promise for the
moment; TO You alone belongs the right Of
! the first investigation here
Pale, but collected the bishop stepped
! up to the cavity, and after one glance put
in his hand and drew forth a heavily
bound old fashioned book, thckly GOV
/ cred with dust or mold \ thrill ran
! through the assembled guests at the sight.
! but no words broke the silence Of awe
| stricken expectation while he revcrently
opened the volume. and after turning
over n few leaves, drew from between the
! pages piece Of writing paper-ycllOw
with aCc, on which were some irregular,
hastily written lines. As soon as the
bishop was certain that he had found what
he sought, he avcrtcd his eyes from it,
! ana the OtAClS ltlung D3ck 10 make
way for him, bore it carefully up the
stairs and into the nearest room and cast
it revcrently into the fire burning on the
hearth, almost rs though ne were laying
sacred Offering upon some Gowastran
altar. Until the last scrap Of the mys.
terously found document was reduced L.
finder, no one spoke; and even then
though few disioiEted ordinations Of
Marvellous wonderful. indced who
could have believed it}n broke forth, the
majority were far too deeply impressed
for words The bishop felt that none who
were present on that occasion could
ever forget its lcss0ns-hc himself least
OF all. and. indeed, ne could never tell the
story, even after years had passed with
ont the prcfoundest emotion. The figure
Of the priest, he added, was never seen
again in the house where he had 20 long
guarded his guilty sccrct-Chas Web
steT i'm The Theusorhist.
Coffee Coolers" IA D,ut,-.
A reporter asked CoE,Tw ,man Brarg
what he meant 10y the expression 'cairce
cooler used in his speech against Tie